Double-cylinder direct-acting engine



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W. D. HOOKER.

a Sheets'Sheet DOUBLE CYLINDER DIRECT ACTING ENGINE.

Patented May 14. 1889.

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W D. HOOKER.

DOUBLE CYLINDER DIREGT ACTING ENGINE. No. 403,108.

Patented May 14, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM DAVIS HOOKER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DOUBLE-CYLINDER DIRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 403,108, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed July 6, 1888. Serial No. 279,173. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I,WILLIAM DAVIS HOOKER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvethe invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to double-cylinder direct-acting steam-engines, and has for its object the provision of a simple and effective engine of this type.

The following detailed description will fully explain the nature, construction, and functions of my said invention and the manner in which I carry the same into practice.

The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider the best means for carrying my said invention into use.

Figure I is a plan view of both cylinders with the valve-chamber removed, showing the main valve-seat, ports, (to. Fig. II is a vertical section of the engine on the line 0 c, Fig. I, showing the valve-chamber mounted over the cylinders. Fig. III is a transverse vertical section of the invention taken on the line a a, Fig. I. This view shows the valve-chamber also, but at right angles to Fig. II. Fig. IV is a longitudinal section on line m as, Fig. III, parts being taken on different vertical lines, as the line :0 90 indicates. Fig. V is a face View of the main valve comprising the D and B types. Fig. VI is a transverse section of the same on the line i 2' of Fig. V. Fig. VII is section on line h h or h h of Fig. V. Fig. VIII represents a section of the supplemental valve for controlling the admission and exhaust of steam to the supplemental piston-cylinder. This figure is represented in relative position with Fig. IV to indicate the position of the valve at a certain point of the operation. Fig. IX is a face view of the valve shown in Fig. VIII. Fig. X is'a face view of a modified form of main valve having two cavities of the D type. Fig. X1 is a transverse section of Fig. X, taken across one of exhaust-cavities.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding'parts in all the figures where they occur.

A represents one cylinder, and B the other, of my double-cylinder direct-acting engine. They are connected by yokes A B to a pump, (not shown,) and the piston-rods A B of the cylinders A B serve also as pump-rods.

O is the valve chest or chamber mounted over the cylinders in the manner and position shown. In it is one valve-seat and one valve for controlling the admission and exhaustion of steam to and from both cylinders. The valve-seat is marked D, and the main valve, which moves upon it, is marked E. The valve is moved by means of a divided piston, J, between the two parts j j, to which the valve E is held. The piston J is operated by steam, the admission and exhaustion of which are controlled by a supplemental valve, lawhich is moved by a rod, K, connected to a valve-gear, K, on the yoke A and operated by rod K connected to and driven by the piston-rod A of the cylinder or engine A, which, for distinction and convenience, I denominate the main orcontrolling cylinder or engine, since from it the one valve which controls the admission of steam to both cylinders derives its sole operation and control, while cylinder B I term the secondary cylinder. It will thus be seen that the pistons of both cylinders or engines are driven by motion derived from the piston of one cylinder only, which feature I deem to be novel and important. The valve-gear K preferably, is of the type patented to me on the 14th day of September, 1886, in Patent No. 349,045,- but any other reliable form of valve-gear may be employed. I

Referring now to the construction of parts, a a and b b are the main steam-ports leading from the main valve-seat D to the steamcylinders A and B, the ports a 19 leading to the main cylinder A and the ports a b leading to the other or secondary cylinder, B, and I opening into said cylinders a little distance from each end thereof, as shown.

0 c and d d are secondary steam-ports, also ieading from the main valve D, but extendlng t0 the extreme end of the respective cylinders A and B.

e e are the exhaust-ports leading from the main-valve seat to the main exhaust-passage f, which is common to both cylinders. These exhaust-ports e 6 connect only with the main steam-ports a a b h, and the secondary ports 0 c d d have no exhaust-connection, and the main steam-ports a a I) b and the secondary steam-ports c c d d are all separate and have no connection with each other. They all lead into onesingle valve-seat.

The main valve E is one single valve, but may comprise both the D and B types of valves or the D type only, but have two cavities. The D and B types are both shown upon the one valve in Figs. V, VI, and VII, and when this style of main valve is used upon an engine having the two cylinders and the valve-seat above described the effect will be to drive the pistons of the two cylinders in opposite directions at the same time. lVith the D and B types combined in one valve, I also place narrow transverse cavities p p in the valve E and openings or cuts 11 p on the sides thereof.

The D type alone is shown in Figs. X and XI; but two cavities are used, one at each end of the valve, and the effect of the use of this style of valve upon the cylinders and valveseat described is to drive the pistons in both cylinders in the same direction at the same time. As the piston in the main or controlling engine or cylinder A nears the end of its stroke, it will, through the valve-movement K attached to its piston-rod and the supplemental valve 70, cause the main valve to be reversed by the steam-pressure, as will be hereinafter explained.

Since the secondary ports a c and (Z d. supply the live steam to the engines, but have no exhaust, it will readily be seen that all the steam which is removed from the cylinders must be exhausted out of the main ports under the cavities of the main valve, through separate exhaust-ports e and e, to the common exhaust-passage and that as the main pistons close the main steam-ports in their .re spective cylinders some distance from the ends of their strokes the pistons will be cushioned on compressed exhausted steam or air remaining in the ends of the cylinders and unable toescape from the ports a c and (Z (Z. This construction and arrangement give a very efficient and reliable cushioning device, and one which can be regulated as to amount of retain ed air or steam by placing the mouths of the main or secondary steam-ports closer together or farther apart in the cylinders. All noise and concussion are obviated and the pistons are brought to rest or slowed down more gradually upon this exhausted steam than they could be were live steam supplied for the purpose, as is often done.'

Since only one engine or cylinder gives or controls the valve-niovement, and since the prime object of a double'cylinder direct-aeting engine is to produce a steady pressure 011 the discharge of the pumps it is called upon to operate, it is very desirable that one e11- gine shall arrive at the end of its stroke slightly in advance of the other, so as to graduually slow down, giving the pump-valvcs (in the pump it is driving) time or opportunity to seat quietly before the engine entirely stops or reverses. To accomplish this end and have both engines under perfect control while running, I have invented and applied a controlling valve or device, which I place in the main exhaust-passage between the discharge openings of the separate exhaust ports of the two engines. This valve or device is marked g, and is shown clearly in Fig. III of the drawings. It consists of a plate mounted upon a screw-rod, 'i, which is supported at one end in a bearing in the walls of the exhaust-port, and at the other passes through a stuffing-box, c", and is provided with a hand-wheel, h, on its outer end. By turning the rod i in one direction or the other the plate or valve g is carried to one side or the other broadwise across the exhaust-passage f, and the movement of the plate 1 bein g produced by a screw it is very easy and gradual, and the adjustment of the plate can be controlled with great nicety and the slightest perceptible change in the compression of the exhaust can be produced. \Vhen engine A is running itself, and also supplying and exhausting steam to and from engine B, it is very desirable to have the piston of engine B arrive at the ends of its strokes slightly in advance of the piston of engine A, for the reasons above stated; and this can be caused by turning the l1and-wheel which moves or draws the plate or regulating device slightly toward the mouth of exhaust of engine A, the motion whereof is thereby retarded by the compression of its exhaust, and piston of engine 15 will arrive at the end of its stroke and cushion and slow down in advance of engine A; or if engine 13 is running too far ahead of engine A, then its exhaust can be compressed, or the compression upon the exhaust of engine A slightly rel loved, so as to give the exact motion required. In practice only a slight compression of the exhaust is required. It is also apparent that the plate 9 may be screwed up tight against the exhaust of secondary engine B and close it, so that the main engineA can be run alone as a single-cylinder engine. The exhaust controlling device or plate 9 passes some distance down into the main exhaust-port, so as to turn the current of the exhausts from the engines and prevent one from reacting upon the other. Thus it will be seen that the regulation and control of the speed of the engine are very fully accomplished by this regulating device in a most simple and effectual manner.

As already stated, the main valve E is driven by the supplemental piston J, which, as explained, divided or recessed and incloses the main valve between the parts thereof; and the means for supplying and exhausting steam to and from supplemental piston J has already been mentioned as consisting, essentially, of the supplemental valve 70.

The supplemental valve 76 has one exhaustcavity, is, in it and rides upon a seat, L, from which lead the steam-ports Z Z, which may be termed the main steam-ports of the valvechest 0, and empty into the supplemental piston-cylinder at a short distance from the ends thereof, and ports m m, which may be termed the secondary steam-ports of the valve-chest, empty into the supplemental piston-cylinder at extreme ends thereof. The ports ll permit the escape of the spent steam, while ports m m have no exhaust. The exhaust-port n of supplemental valve-chest connects with exhaust-port e of engine A, and the steam-ports Z Z communicate with the exhaust n at different ends of the stroke of the supplemental piston J through the cavityk, under the valve 70. The steam-ports Z Z and m m act in the valve-chest in the same manner as the ports a a and I) Z) and c c and d d do in the cylinders A and B, and the supplemental piston J is cushioned on'compressed exhausted steam, which is far preferable to supplying live steam for this purpose, for reasons already given in connection with the engines.

Provision is made for the steam to enter the valve-chest at 0, between the portions jj of the supplemental pistons J, and also to pass through small port 0 to the supplemental valve-chamber.

The operation of this engine is as follows: The piston of main engineA being to the lefthand end of its steam-cylinder and its valvemovement also at the left, as shown in Fig. II, and thepiston of engine B being at the right, or opposite to that of A, and the supplemental valve on its valve-seat in the position shown in FigsIV and VIII, steam now entering at O and passing to the main valve between the sections j j of piston J, and also passing to supplemental-valve chamber,will pass through ports Z m (which are not covered by valve is) to the left hand of valve-chest O behind the left-hand end of piston j, while the exhaust from the right-hand end of this piston will pass out of port Z under the exhaust-cavity k in valve is into exhaust-port n to exhaust of engine A, and thence to main exhaust, and then out into the atmosphere. The supplemental piston J carries the main valve with it, and thus opens the main ports to both cylinders of the engine. These ports being open, steam passes through port I) to left of piston in engine A, and through port a to the right of piston in engine B, and both engines move in opposite directions, the exhaust of engine A escaping out of port a, under the cavity provided, into exhaust-port e to main exhaust, while engine B exhausts through port 1), cavity provided under valve, exhaust-port 6',

main exhaust to atmosphere. Engine A in completing its stroke has moved the supplemental valve k in the opposite direction to that shown in Figs. IV and VIII, and steam is now supplied to and exhausted from both engines, (to A through port a and B through port b,) and the motion of both engines becomes continuous. While the engines are running steam is exhausting from them into the main exhaust, and by turning the hand-wheel h, and with it the screw 1', which engages the regulating device g, the exhaust from either engine may be retarded, so as to give one engine the lead of the other and cause one set of pump-valves to seat in advance of the other, and all noise and concussion will be avoided and a steady pressure will be maintained on pumps driven by this engine, and this steadiness in pressure and absence of noise and jar are also due in part to the very effective cushioning of both of the engine-pistons and supplemental pistons upon compressed exhausted steam or air, in the manner as already described. 4

This engine is peculiarly adapted to drive pumps of fire-engines or stationary forcepumps, as it has only one valve-moving device and can be run at a very high rate of speed, and by the'perfect control of the exhaust my double-cylinder direct-acting steamengine will maintain very nearly a steady pressure on the hose and prevent all pulsation and throbbing in the hose, which is very desirable. The engine is also peculiarly adapted for running hydraulic elevators or any other use where steady pressure and great speed are required. g

I am aware that B and D valves are old and well known, and also that they have been combined or formed in one piece, and I do not claim such, broadly. v

I am also aware that both direct-actin g and duplex engines having two steam-ports leadfrom avalve-seat to each of the opposite ends of steam-cylinders, to supply through one and exhaust through the other to cushion the steam-pistons, are old and well known.

In Patent No. 81,168, granted to me on August 18, 1868, for a direct-acting steam-engine,I showed a main valve supplying steam through a small supplemental port'and also a main port, but exhausting steam through the main port only. In this patent there are two ports leading to both ends of the engine, steam being supplied through both the main and supplemental ports and exhausted through the main port only. I do not therefore herein claim this mode of compression, broadly, but only when the same is used and combined in such manner that one main valve, either of the B and D type or of a B or D type, shall control the compression in both engines, and that whether the main pistons are moving in the same or in opposite directions, as the effect of the cushioning. is the same in either case, for by the use of my regulating-valve in the main exhaust of engine the secondary main piston in engine B can be made to travel nearly the whole length of its stroke before the main en gine-piston has barely commenced its movement, as it will be seen that if the exhaust of engine A is compressed the backpressure will hold it back, and as there will then be no compression in the exhaust of engine B it will start ahead of piston in engine A, and the result will be the same whether a B and D valve ora double D valve is used. I do not therefore desire to be understood as claiming, broadly, a steam-moved valve, nor, broadly, a valve of the B and D type, nor, broadly, supplying steam through one port and exhausting through another, nor, broadly, of supplying steam through two ports and exhausting through one, (as this latter is shown in my patent, No. 81,168, above referred 1-0;) but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. The combination of a main direct-acting supplemental-valved engine, as A, with a secondary engine, as B, said secondary engine having no independent supplemental valve or valve-moving device, and a main valve to supply and exhaust the steam simultaneously to and from both engine-cylinders, so that the main engine shall control the steam admitted and exhausted to drive the main pistons in their cylinders by the use of the one main valve only, said main pistons being separate and having no mechanical connection with each other, so that one can run in advance of the other, as set forth.

2. A supplemental-valved engine-cylinder, combined with its secondary engine-cylinder having but one main valve to supply and exhaust the steam to and from both engine-cylinders, and a regulating-valve in the main exhaust, so that the main supplemental-valved engine shall impart the motion to and the regulating-valve control the motion of both main pistons in their engine-cylinders, as set forth.

3. The combination, in a double-cylinder direct-acting engine, of a regulating-valve in the main exhaust to close the opening of the exhaust of the secondary engine, whereby said secondary engine is stopped and the main engine permitted to run alone and independently of the secondary engine, as set forth.

a. In a doublecylinder steamengine, a regulating device in the exhaust-passage com mon to both engines, consisting of an adj ustable plate to control the motion of either engine, as set forth.

5. In a double-cylinder steam-engine, a regulating device in the exhaust-passage common to both engines, consisting of a plate having an elongated end to separate the exhaust of the two engines, as set forth.

6. In a double-cylinder steam-engine, the combination, with the separate exhaust-ports and main exhaust-passage, of a screw-rod operated from the outside, and a regulating de vice placed in the main exhaust between the mouths of the separate exhaustports, said device consisting of a plate having a threaded opening and being suspended upon the threaded portion of the rod, as set forth.

7. In a double-cylinder direct-acting steamengine employing but one main valve for both engines, and one engine having no independent valve-moving device, the combination, with said cylinders and main valve, of the supplemental ports and the main ports, said main valve controlling all of the ports, steam being supplied through both the main and supplemental ports to both ends of both main steam cylinders and released through the main ports only, to arrest and cushion both main pistons at the termination of their strokes, as set forth.

8. In a double-cylinder direct-acting steamengine, the combination, with a main valve having a B exhaust-cavity at one end and a D exhaust-cavity at the other, and transverse narrow cavities between them, and side cuts, of the main steam-ports a and Z), having the exhaust-port 6 between them, the main steam ports a and I), having the exhaust-port e between them, and the secondary steam-ports c c, (I 01', opening into the main-valve seat longitudinally between the end sets of ports, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'WILLIAM DAVIS HOOKER.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY (J. TULLEY, BRECK J ONES. 

